Vegetarian Pasta Dishes

For a meatless dinner that still utilizes milk, eggs, and cheese, these versatile and satisfying pasta dishes are the way to go. These main course meals successfully satisfy hearty appetites with a well rounded array of flavors and ingredients and with prep times suited to fit into your busy week.

For a meatless dinner that still utilizes milk, eggs, and cheese, these versatile and satisfying pasta dishes are the way to go. These main course meals successfully satisfy hearty appetites with a well rounded array of flavors and ingredients and with prep times suited to fit into your busy week.

Squash Ribbon Pasta with Herb Cream Sauce

Draining the hot cooked pasta over the squash ribbons softens the vegetables just enough to keep their fresh texture yet combine well with the pasta. Adding the red onion to the pasta in the last 2 minutes of cooking removes its harsh bite.

Creamy Mascarpone and Spinach Linguine

Low-fat cream cheese and silky mascarpone combine to make a dreamy sauce for this dish. Fresh lemon rind brightens up the flavor profile. Serve with green beans for a simple side to this delicious meal.

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10 of 34Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen

Farfalle with Butternut Squash

A tasty bow tie recipe makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Packed with protein and fiber in the form of walnuts and butternut squash, this heart-healthy pasta dish can be on your table in 20 minutes!

Caramelized Cabbage with Whole-Wheat Penne and Provolone

This pasta toss is inspired by a similar dish at Franny's restaurant in Brooklyn. The cabbage caramelizes in the pan and becomes just tender enough to bind with the pasta without losing its toothsomeness. Fresh red chile is a must for a pop of color and heat--don't skip it.

Tabla Mediterranean Bistro Magical Egg Ravioli

Tabla Mediterranean Bistro Magical Egg Ravioli RecipeThere's nothing like the sense of culinary accomplishment that comes from making your own pasta. It's not hard at all, and the fresh taste can't be beat. Stuff the ravioli with a creamy mixture of chard greens, ricotta cheese and parmesan for a memorable bistro-style dish.

Bucatini with Eggplant and Roasted Peppers

Bucatini with Eggplant and Roasted Peppers RecipeIn authentic Sicilian style, this pasta doesn't have a thick heavy sauce that completely coats the pasta. Rather, the pasta is tossed lightly in olive oil and a mixture of roasted eggplant and bell pepper.

Pasta with White Beans, Greens, and Lemon

Pasta with White Beans, Greens, and Lemon RecipePasta, beans and greens are a classic Mediterranean combination and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The pasta is orecchiette, a type of pasta shaped like "little ears" but you can substitute penne or rigatoni.

Sweet Pea Pasta Toss

Ricotta salata is an Italian sheep's milk cheese with a salty finish. Feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese would be equally delicious.

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21 of 34Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro

Farfalle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

Farfalle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce RecipeThe exotic mushrooms and ultra-creamy sauce make this bow-tied shaped pasta dish worthy of a special occasion. We recommend that you splurge on the premium Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese because this dish deserves it.

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Peanut-Noodle Salad

Peanut-Noodle Salad RecipeToss soba noodles (or angel hair pasta) in a spicy peanut sauce, then stir in cucumber, carrot and greens onions for an Asian-style main dish salad that can be served chilled or at room temperature.

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23 of 34Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Caramelized Cabbage with Whole-Wheat Penne and Provolone

This pasta toss is inspired by a similar dish at Franny's restaurant in Brooklyn. The cabbage caramelizes in the pan and becomes just tender enough to bind with the pasta without losing its toothsomeness. Fresh red chile is a must for a pop of color and heat--don't skip it.

Sesame Noodles

Orzo with Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe

Orzo with Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe RecipeAlthough orzo looks like rice, it's actually pasta and is often used in Mediterranean dishes such as this one-dish meal of pasta, ricotta cheese, olives and broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is a leafy green vegetable related to both the cabbage and turnip families. It's distinguished by 6- to 9-inch stalks and clusters of broccoli-like buds. It has a slightly bitter flavor and works well when combined with pasta and cheese.

Vegetable Lasagna

This vegetable lasagna is perfect for making ahead and can easily transport to a potluck or the freezer.

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34 of 34Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro

Mushroom Rigatoni Bake

Mushroom Rigatoni Bake RecipeThe splash of sherry in the sauteed mushrooms adds another dimension of flavor to the creminis and shitakes. If you don't have dry sherry, use white wine as a substitute instead of cooking sherry because the cooking contains added salt.